In the current information age, information technology (IT) tools for managing files and data are extensively used in enterprises and other organizations, in order to store and transfer electronic documents and data over a network.
A document management system (for example, DocumentMall) can provide users with remote access (that is, through a network) to software applications and related services that would otherwise have to be installed on the user's local computer. For example, such a document management system may be configured to store documents as electronic files in a network-connected (and secure) document storage device, in order to protect the documents from theft or loss and to avoid unnecessarily occupying storage space local to the user computer or local computing environment, while making such files available on demand. The documents may include voluminous and/or sensitive material, and may be configured to provide searchable databases of all forms of legal, medical, financial, educational, scientific, and marketing documents for individuals and/or companies via a network.
A conventional document management system typically includes an access function for a user to retrieve a document specified by the user. The corresponding document is retrieved from a document database of the document management system, and is then transmitted by the document management system to the user. FIG. 1A depicts an example of such a system 100, where client terminals 12-1 through 12-4 may access documents from a document database in a document storage part of the document management system 15, via the network 11.
There is a drawback, however, in that when a user of the document management system retrieves a document and wishes to transmit the document to another user, the user is forced to open an electronic mail program, create an email message, and find and attached the retrieved document. This procedure involves multiple steps, and may cause inconvenience to the user.
Further, there is another drawback in that documents stored at the document management system may be changed or updated by an individual, without providing notification to other individuals concerned with the document as to the changes.
There exists a need for an improved document management system which is not as difficult and time-consuming to use.